Picking gc batteries

[GonzoF1]

Proud new owner of a 42' Navigator, but the battery system is based on three 8D flooded cells from Batteries Plus. They are now failing badly because the previous owner never kept the cells topped up with water. It still has a battery cooker of a charger (Newmar maybe?) AND a Genesis 20A charger he added a few years ago. TBH, I would rather not have to replace the charger(s) at this point. When we are on the boat, we use the big one as a 12V power supply. When we leave we leave the "smarter" charger on and turn the big one off.

I have only owned the boat a few months and really haven't yet lay in the bilge to learn what wires go where, to which batteries, thru what switches and where the alternators go... etc. Still, I need to start planning on upgrading the batteries to true deep cycle 6V batteries so that we can begin anchoring out in the Spring. However, I am hard-pressed to figure out how to pick what stickered battery to buy. How can you tell? Is Trojan the default "best-ish" battery to get? If so, which? The 105? There is a local dealer selling US Batteries with Diamond Plate Technology. What about the Duracell's from Wal-Mart? I used them on our previous trawler and they were okay, but didn't have them long enough to really know.

The other thing are the battery screw terminals. They aren't tall enough for REALLY good lugs to get stacked on there. What lugs should I use? I have read your write-ups on both wire making (so I bought a really good crimp tool and heavy duty lugs from Grainger, AND on why GC batteries are the only true deep cycle, Now I just need to start putting the pieces together. THANKS!

 

[Rich Stidger]

I have used the US Batteries 2200 for 13+ years. In my area they are a "best buy". I have had Trojan 105 that seemed to be no better than the USB 2200. Trojan is much more expensive. I don't have a Costco or BJ near me that sells batteries, so that option is out.

 

[Maine Sail]

The GC battery market is extremely competitive and there is a lot of cross manufacturing going on. Trojan makes great batteries as does US Battery and Crown. Deka's are also quite good. About the only GC2's I would stay away from are the Johnson Controls products made in Mexico and re-branded to many, many resellers..

I say this often but it bears repeating. The ONLY connections that need to be on the battery are series parallel and your main positive & negative connections. Occasionally voltage sensing should also be there but these terminals are thin & small. Battery makers have PURPOSELY shortened battery posts in response to some rather idiotic behavior with folks stacking piles and piles of terminals directly onto the batteries. All the makers do offer taller posts but they are usually special order. Trojan's have gotten so short on the T-105 to almost be useless and you will likely need the high profile terminal or "starter lugs" as opposed to power lugs. Nothing wrong with "starter lugs" they are just less robust but still a good string terminal compared to some.

 

[GonzoF1]

Thanks Mainesail... Unfortunately, the Quick lugs I used from Grainger are even too thick for even two on a post. That was the reason for getting a reference as to what specific brand you would use. Can you name them?I guess I could opt for a buss bar again if I had to, but they have their own sets of challenges.

Good to know about US Battery. I want to use a local dealer as a supplier and there is one right here in Cary, NC that can get them for me.

In addition, I *HAVE* decided to go ahead replace the charger as well and just ordered a Sterling 60A with a remote. I am putting a lot of faith in your opinion and buying one without digging around too deeply for other options. In our previous boat, I used an IOTA 55A. A good and inexpensive charger for sure, but no remote and, more importantly, no temp sensing. After reading your stuff, I figured I better upgrade. So on your recommendation, I got one.

 

[smokey73]

The GC battery market is extremely competitive and there is a lot of cross manufacturing going on. Trojan makes great batteries as does US Battery and Crown. Deka's are also quite good. About the only GC2's I would stay away from are the Johnson Controls products made in Mexico and re-branded to many, many resellers..

I say this often but it bears repeating. The ONLY connections that need to be on the battery are series parallel and your main positive & negative connections. Occasionally voltage sensing should also be there but these terminals are thin & small. Battery makers have PURPOSELY shortened battery posts in response to some rather idiotic behavior with folks stacking piles and piles of terminals directly onto the batteries. All the makers do offer taller posts but they are usually special order. Trojan's have gotten so short on the T-105 to almost be useless and you will likely need the high profile terminal or "starter lugs" as opposed to power lugs. Nothing wrong with "starter lugs" they are just less robust but still a good string terminal compared to some.

Maine - with regard to the connections on the batter terminals. I have a solar charger and a smart charger both with temperature compensation. As I understand it, these connections need to be on the negative terminal to sense battery temperature. In that case there would be the negative ground power lug as well as the two temperature compensating (thin) connections. Is that Okay. If not, how would the temperature compensation connections be made. Just curious

 

[Solstice]

The GC battery market is extremely competitive and there is a lot of cross manufacturing going on. Trojan makes great batteries as does US Battery and Crown. Deka's are also quite good. About the only GC2's I would stay away from are the Johnson Controls products made in Mexico and re-branded to many, many resellers..

I say this often but it bears repeating. The ONLY connections that need to be on the battery are series parallel and your main positive & negative connections. Occasionally voltage sensing should also be there but these terminals are thin & small. Battery makers have PURPOSELY shortened battery posts in response to some rather idiotic behavior with folks stacking piles and piles of terminals directly onto the batteries. All the makers do offer taller posts but they are usually special order. Trojan's have gotten so short on the T-105 to almost be useless and you will likely need the high profile terminal or "starter lugs" as opposed to power lugs. Nothing wrong with "starter lugs" they are just less robust but still a good string terminal compared to some.

I am getting ready to replace my 6 year old 4Ds that came with the boat with some GC2s and although I do use Buss bars for everything but the parallel connection and the connections to the POS and Grnd, it appears that when I add the Series cables for the GCs I will have a problem getting the lugs on the short posts.
A lot of these batteries come with a post and a second POS and negative terminal. My question is would be okay to use the second posts for the Series connections and the studs for the parallel and main connections back to my buss bar? I'm trying to avoid replacing my battery lugs with starter lugs and trying to anticipate how best to get the new batteries connected given the short posts....
Thanks in advance....

 

[GonzoF1]

I can't be the expert... That is MaineSail's job, but while I know you said you didn't want to change out your lugs, I would think it would be worth the effort. I wouldn't trust those tapered posts in that environment. Too many vibrations to knock them loose. If you don't have one, buy a kick-ass crimper, new lugs and cable, and don't look back. Besides, you will be the most popular cable maker on your marina

Here are the lugs MaineSail recommended to me over the winter. They are thin enough to stack two (I have one post with three, but don't tell MaineSail... he says that is bad) and heavy duty enough for the job: http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?2511

Here is the crimper. It will last forever: http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?2500

And, of course, MaineSail's awesome instructions for making cables from his Compass Marine site: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

 

[Solstice]

I can't be the expert... That is MaineSail's job, but while I know you said you didn't want to change out your lugs, I would think it would be worth the effort. I wouldn't trust those tapered posts in that environment. Too many vibrations to knock them loose. If you don't have one, buy a kick-ass crimper, new lugs and cable, and don't look back. Besides, you will be the most popular cable maker on your marina

Here are the lugs MaineSail recommended to me over the winter. They are thin enough to stack two (I have one post with three, but don't tell MaineSail... he says that is bad) and heavy duty enough for the job: http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?2511

Here is the crimper. It will last forever: http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?2500

And, of course, MaineSail's awesome instructions for making cables from his Compass Marine site: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

Thanks,
When I bought the boat new, I pretty much rewired the whole thing to MS specs. Have the crimper, only order my lugs etc. from GD.
I have no problem recrimping, but was more curious than anything.......

 

[Maine Sail]

Not all GC2 batteries have short studs. The Trojan's do, but they can also be ordered with longer studs if your dealer will do so...

 

[FastOlson]

I just replaced our house bank with two new Trojan T-145+ batteries. Those shorter studs kinda took me by surprise, too.

Loren